“All offseason you preach to them about working hard, being consistent, being responsible, working for your teammates, loving each other and you hope it comes to fruition during the season,” said Schneider, who took over the program in 2019. “And this is really the first year here that it has because these kids love each other to death. All of that helps when adversity hits.”
In the final minutes of a three-point loss to Springfield in Week 9, quarterback Preston Barr broke his collarbone. Barr had thrown for 1,455 yards, rushed for 400 and accounted for 23 touchdowns. He missed the 21-9 Week 10 victory over Springboro, but he was still voted the Greater Western Ohio Conference offensive player of the year.
“I’m doing all right,” Barr said earlier this week with his arm in a sling. “It sucks that my season ended, but I still got to go out for my team and cheer them on.”
Baylor Stickel, a senior running back and first-team all-GWOC defensive back, helped lead the Vikings through the loss of Barr.
“It was pretty tough at the beginning — he’s our boy and we love him,” Stickel said. “But we have to move on because there’s nothing we can really do about it except just play the next game.”
The Vikings (9-3) went on the road as the No. 9 seed in Division I, Region 2 and defeated No. 8 Delaware Hayes 34-14 for the program’s first playoff win in Division I and third overall. Their other playoff wins came in 2016 in Division II when they reached the region final. The Vikings travel to No. 1 seed Lewis Center Olentangy on Friday night. If they win, they will face either Centerville or Springfield in the region semifinals.
“Knowing how much adversity we’ve been facing throughout the whole season, that one game really boosted the whole team up,” Stickel said.
Junior Landen Roberts left behind his job as the JV quarterback and took over for Barr. Against Hayes he completed 9 of 14 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown and rushed five times for 29 yards.
“It’s been a journey that’s for sure,” Roberts said. “I love to be out there with my guys and having Preston’s back. This is his team still, and I’m just playing for him, playing for my guys.”
The offense didn’t change with a new quarterback, but Schneider is using the personnel differently. Roberts doesn’t possess Barr’s speed to run wide. So Schneider is using Stickel and Connor Smith, the team’s leading receiver, as Wildcat quarterbacks to run wide. Keith Henry’s role as a ballcarrier has increased with 15 carries in each of the past two games and 212 yards.
“It was one of those things where, ‘Hey guys, now you good players, you got to step up and be great players and you average players, you got to be good now because we’re replacing basically the head of the monster,” Schneider said. “They’ve done a really good job of it and understanding that bad things happen in life, and you got to react to it, and how you react is who you are.”
Barr is at every practice and on the sideline during the games. He spends time with Roberts watching film and teaching him.
“When I’m around them I stay positive,” he said. “They can’t afford to be down or weeping for me, but they know what I’m going through and try to pick me up.”
In other playoff games:
Division I Region 2 Springfield (6-5) at Centerville (9-2): The Elks defeated the Wildcats 24-16 in Week 8, but the Wildcats haven’t lost since with junior quarterback Brent Upshaw back from injury. The Elks got dynamic receiver/runner/Wildcat quarterback Braylon Newcomb back from injury last week.
Division II Region 8 Harrison (8-3) at Northmont (7-4): The Thunderbolts are a threat in this region as the No. 4 seed with a balanced offense led by senior quarterback Deuce Cortner.
Division III Region 12: All four games involve area teams. No. 9 Bellbrook (8-3) faces the stiffest challenge at top-seeded Hamilton Badin (11-0). No. 4 Vandalia Butler (9-2) puts its speed up against physical and fifth-seeded Wapakoneta (9-2). Chaminade-Julienne (7-4) is seeded 10th but is part of an intriguing matchup at No. 2 Tippecanoe (9-2). And No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (9-2) tries to continue what it hopes will be a long playoff run for the first time since its 2019 state title against No. 6 Celina (9-2).
Division IV Region 16 Cincinati Indian Hill (9-2) at Alter (8-3): Alter is seeded fourth and led by senior quarterback Gavin Connor. He set the school record for passing yards last week and raised his career total to 3,375. He surpassed Eric Laumann for the record. He also moved past Austin Boucher, Connor Bazelak and Malik Zaire this season.
Division V Region 20: Top-seeded Valley View (10-1) and No. 2 Waynesville (9-2) might be on course for a rematch in the region final. Waynesville won a shootout 49-40 at home on Oct. 20.
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